Loretta Butler-Turner
Leader of the Opposition
In office
11 December 2016 – 10 May 2017
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterPerry Christie
Preceded byHubert Minnis
Succeeded byPhilip Davis
Member of the House of Assembly of the Bahamas for Long Island
In office
2012 (2012)–2017 (2017)
Member of the House of Assembly of the Bahamas for Montagu Constituency
In office
2007 (2007)–2012 (2012)
Personal details
BornNassau, Bahamas
Political partyFree National Movement

Loretta Butler-Turner is a Bahamian mortician and politician. She was the leader of the opposition in the Bahamian Parliament from December 2016 to May 2017.

Early life

Loretta Butler-Turner was born in Nassau, Bahamas[1] to Rose Marie (née Taylor)[2] and Raleigh Butler, who was the son of the first Bahamian Governor-General, Sir Milo Butler.

She attended primary and secondary school at St. Andrews School in Nassau and was the first Bahamian female to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in mortuary sciences, graduating summa cum laude from the New England Institute of Mortuary Science.[1]

Mortuary career

Butler became an embalmer and mortuary director in her father's business, Butlers’ Funeral Homes and Crematorium of Nassau.[2] She has provided services for several notable deaths, particularly for singer Aaliyah[3] and TV personality Daniel Wayne Smith (son of Anna Nicole Smith).[4]

Political career

In 2007, she was elected to parliament for the Montagu Constituency as a member of the Free National Movement (FNM) party and appointed Minister of State for Social Development.[1]

Inter-American Commission of Women

Butler served as Vice President of the Inter-American Commission of Women from 2009 to 2011, completing the term of Jeanette Carrillo Madrigal of Costa Rica who had resigned.[5]

Deputy Leader

In 2012, Butler-Taylor ran for the Long Island seat [6] and was elected. That same year, she was chosen as the Deputy Leader of the Free National Movement.[7]

Butler ran for the party leadership in 2014[8] but was defeated by Hubert Minnis. (Peter Turnquest replaced her as Deputy Leader.[9])

Finally, in December 2016, Butler-Turner was sworn in as the first woman leader of the opposition in the Bahamas history.[10] Four days later, Butler came under fire from her predecessor, Hubert Minnis, who vowed to have her leadership rescinded.[11][12]

Ouster from Party

In April 2017, she was thrown out of the party and ran as an independent in the general election the following month.[13] She received less than 300 votes, thus ending her parliamentary career.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Loretta Turner-Butler". Government - Contacts. Nassau, The Bahamas: Government of the Bahamas. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  2. 1 2 Beatty, Robert (21 August 2013). "Raleigh Butler Sr., 81 of Butlers' Funeral Homes". Ft. Lauderdale, Florida: South Florida Times. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  3. ↑ "Bahamas Funeral Home Which Prepared Aaliyah's Body Says Virgin Records Hasn't Paid Bill". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. 102 (11): 40. 2 September 2002. ISSN 0021-5996.
  4. ↑ Melia, Michael (18 September 2006). "Autopsy: Smith's Son on Antidepressants". Fox News. AP. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  5. ↑ "34th Assembly of Delegates (Santiago de Chile, Chile - November 10 to 12, 2008)". OAS. Washington, DC: CIM Assembly of Delegates. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  6. ↑ "FNM Unveils Candidates for Bahamas 2012 Elections". St. Michael, Barbados: Caribbean Elections Today. 15 January 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  7. ↑ Smith, Larry (12 October 2014). "The Prospects of Political Leadership in the Bahamas". Nassau, The Bahamas: Bahama Pundit. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  8. ↑ "Bahamas' deputy opposition leader eyes top post". Jamaica Observer. Kingston, Jamaica. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  9. ↑ "Dr. Hubert Minnis defeats Butler-Turner 298 to 106". Nassau, The Bahamas: Bahamas Press. 21 November 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  10. ↑ "Bahamas- Loretta Butler-Turner replaces Minnis as Opposition Leader". Hopewell, Hanover, Jamaica: Wired Jamaica. 12 December 2016. Archived from the original on 16 December 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  11. ↑ ""Hit the Road," Party Tells New Opposition Leader". St. Michael, Barbados: Caribbean 360. 16 December 2016. Archived from the original on 16 December 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  12. ↑ Rolle, Rashad (15 December 2016). "Butler-Turner's Ratification Rescinded By Fnm". Nassau, The Bahamas: Tribune 242. Archived from the original on 16 December 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  13. ↑ "Butler-turner out of FNM as she runs as Independent". www.tribune242.com. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
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